The World Needs Tax Preparers Too
Written By Daisy Willis
UH Hilo Accounting senior, Tehani Palolo assists others in doing their taxes as a volunteer with VITA, Volunteer Income Tax Assistant Program. Photo provided by Tehani Palolo.
As a college student, you have probably experienced the yearly pain of filing your own taxes. Every year around January you find yourself with a new set of paperwork piling on your desk, daring you to put it off one more day. Taxes are not fun, but this is only because of the hours they take and the incomprehensible legal jargon that covers the pages. Believe it or not, there are students on campus that not only understand that jargon, but also enjoy the practice of filing taxes!
As an Accounting senior, Tehani Palolo is a student volunteer for the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistant) program and works daily at the Hawaii First Federal Credit Union to assist community members in properly filing their taxes. Her responsibilities include meeting and greeting the clients, conducting their official interviews, collecting their documents, and preparing those documents for a team of advanced volunteers to review. In order to be qualified for her job, Tehani had to go through an IRS administered test to be certified to handle other people’s taxes. The process to get her position was lengthy, but well worth it.
Tehani’s supervisor, Siniva Pota spoke very highly of her saying, “Tehani has taken on such a special role in our program, and adds to the professionalism, dependability, and overall team spirit that we have here at Hawaii First. She contributes so much, by way of being willing to learn, adapt, and extend herself professionally, even when not asked to do so by myself or other superiors. We know that she can be counted on, and that she takes her work here very seriously, and so that puts us all at ease, especially since she serves as the front-line of our credit union. Interestingly, when she deals with our clients, they do not know that she's a volunteer, but rather assume that she's an employee of the credit union, and that's because she shines so well, and carries herself in such a professional manner.”
Tehani applies herself and her skills in many ways through her work with the VITA Program. She spoke about her experiences saying, “I am definitely able to use the information I learned in my accounting class to be able to prepare the taxes, as well as where to look for new developments in tax code changes. However, through all the group assignments and interactions I have at UH, I learned how to communicate difficult concepts in an effective way and now I am applying those skills to interact with tax clients. Being a VITA volunteer, I am able to develop my professional skills, such as developing effective communication, staying calm under pressure, and motivating people to keep working their hardest. VITA has helped me be able to use everything I've learned as a student and how to apply that to real work scenarios. They taught me how to be an efficient worker who can accomplish any task I am given. They also showed me how every task, no matter how small it may be, is important to achieving goals of a group or organization.”
Tehani smiles for the camera as she assists in volunteer work for the VITA Program. Photo provided by Tehani Palolo.
Tehani connected with her current supervisors through the ALEX Internship Fair in 2014, and she has been working with them ever since. She stated that “no matter what someone's major is, volunteering will help develop a person's skills and abilities and help them learn more about the subject and about themselves. Plus, it feels good knowing that you helped someone in your own special way. I don't normally have the skills to help someone with typical services, such as tutoring or conservation, but with the VITA program, I am able to help people using the skills that I do have.”
Her positive experience could be yours! If you are looking for an internship, or a volunteer position, contact Tom DeWitt at tsdewitt@hawaii.edu to become involved in bettering your academic experience.
